Pigeon control at Horizon Construction offices, Colchester

The urban pigeon is a familiar sight in our towns and cities, including Colchester. For many of us, these birds don’t cause much of a problem but in some domestic, commercial and industrial premises they can become a pest, earning the title of ‘sky rats.’ Apart from noise problems, their droppings – known as guano – can deface buildings and are a source of potential health problems. So when Essex-based Horizon Construction found they had a pigeon control problem they contacted their local NBC branch for a survey in order to provide a pigeon proofing solution.

Project overview

Horizon Construction has offices in two buildings in Colchester that have a pigeon problem. Pigeons were found to be nesting on the buildings and creating large amounts of guano, while dead pigeons were found in and around the venting and air control systems.

Our solution

The risks of bird guano

In large quantities, guano can be a serious threat to health as it contains fungal and bacterial diseases with the potential to cause respiratory infections in humans if it enters a building’s ventilation system. Guano can also cause damage to the fabric of buildings leading to higher repair and maintenance bills. Its removal is a specialist job as there are Health and Safety regulations designed to prevent possible infection of the public, staff and contractors.

The solution

NBC surveyed the areas and recommended a full guano cleaning and sanitisation program. To prevent the problem reoccurring, NBC recommended the best pigeon deterrent to be pigeon netting to prevent the birds roosting or nesting on the buildings. Complete with a 2-year guarantee, this provides a long-term solution and is 100% effective. Work began and the guano was removed, the area sanitized and pigeon proofing nets installed. However, one building was listed so permission had to be sought to install wall mounts, as tile mounts would have caused problems to the roof of the building. Because the guano was damaging the building’s fabric, permission was readily given.

Horizon Construction was very happy with the solution. The pigeons were denied access to the buildings’ roofs, which meant there were no further guano deposits that could cause damage to their offices or pose a health risk to their staff.

If you have a bird or guano problem talk to your local NBC bird control team by calling 0333 567 2020.